Till Life Do We Part
by Rujia
Summary: [FOURTH CHAPTER IS UP!] This story takes place after the 2nd OVA. Yui is engaged to a man she doesn't love, but one she does love is dead. A freak accident reunites her with Suboshi, but she must decide if she's willing to give up her life for him.
1. The Beginning

Till Life Do We Part Let's see, I believe this makes it fanfic #2. ;) I wrote this while I was sitting at my coffee table, bored out of my mind. I don't know what I think of it exactly. ^_^ The plot for this story doesn't feel quite original, but I haven't read any other FY fics like it, so I suppose it's all right. It's a sweet Yui/Suboshi pair up and there's very subtle anti-Miaka hints throughout the fic, since I don't like her that much. XD As always, Fushigi Yuugi is the brainchild of Watase Yuu and I don't own any part of it, except for perhaps Tasuki. *cough* I'll rate it PG-13 for now, although there might be some lime later on. ;) Enjoy the fic! Reviews are very much appreciated, thanks in advance.

This fic takes place some time after the 2nd OVA; therefore, beware of possible spoilers. There's mild use of Japanese terms, so check the bottom of the fic for definations. By the way, I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors you may find... I think I caught most them anyway. =P Also, sorry for the slightly cheesy title... that was my weak attempt at wittiness. =P

_Thoughts are in italics._   
_****_Astericks indicate scene change****   
Japanese term^ (Please refer to the list on the bottom)

- Ryouko

Till Life Do We Part

-Part One- 

The moonlight shimmered on the dark pool. Her reflection wavered as the drops of water slid down her face and into the lake.

Yui pushed back her short blond hair and sighed. Any other girl would be thrilled to be in her place. In two days, she was going to marry Noku. Everyone said she was insanely lucky for finding such a great guy and they were so happy for her when she announced their engagement. Yui knew she'd be a fool to turn down Noku's proposal. He'd stayed and comforted her after her horrible breakup with Tetsuya and she'd come to think of him as a truly wonderful person. It seemed only natural to accept when he proposed to her. Yui knew she was lucky to have him in her life.

So why was she crying by herself two days before the wedding?

"Why indeed..." Yui muttered to herself and hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm such an idiot."

She stood up and began walking back to the apartment. Noku would be worried about where she had gone.

********

"Yui! There you are!"

Yui smiled slightly and returned Noku's hug.

"Sorry, I just went out for a walk..."

Noku's face scrunched up. "At two in the morning?"

"Well, you know me..."

Noku sighed and pointed to the table.

"Well, I figured you might be a bit hungry, so I made us a little snack."

Yui sat down at the table and smiled at the plate of small sandwiches and the little candle in the center. He could be so sweet at times.

"Ah, arigatou, Noku," she said as she took a big bite. She pushed the plate over to him. "Here, have some too."

Noku sat across from her, but ignored the sandwiches. Yui could feel his eyes on her and finally looked up.

"What is it?" she asked warily.

"... I love you, Yui," he said with a smile.

Yui choked on her sandwich and coughed. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and quickly looked down.

"Thanks. I mean, I love you too."

She could still feel his eyes on her and she twitched in her seat uncomfortably.

"Yui, is anything wrong? Are you upset with me about something?" Noku asked softly.

Yui blinked. "No, of course not, Noku! It's not your fault. I mean, it's no one's fault. I mean, there's no fault at all--"

Noku nodded understandingly and reached over for her hand. "You're nervous about the wedding, aren't you? Don't worry, I know we're going to be very happy together. Ai shiteru, Yui..."

His large tanned hand seemed to engulf her small pale one in his strong grip. He squeezed it gently and played with her fingers.

_I know we're going to be happy together. He loves me..._

She let her gaze drift upwards to his concerned loving face and smiled. Noku's eyes shone softly in the candlelight and they held the promise of a sweet and comfortable life.

Yui remembered another set of eyes she'd known a long time ago. She stared at Noku's gray eyes until they slowly changed into fierce green orbs glowing with passion and love.

_I love you... Yui-sama!_

Yui let out a small noise.

"I love you too... I love you..." she whispered.

Noku swept her into his arms and she buried her face in his chest.

_I love you too... Suboshi..._

*********

"Yui, I can't believe you!" Miaka screeched.

Yui laughed as they made their way down the street. The downtown market was especially crowded today and people bustled back and forth all around them.

"It's just a dress. I totally forgot to buy it before now... Oh relax, Miaka-chan, your face looks like a tomato!"

Miaka was fuming and making strange little noises.

"JUST a dress?! A wedding gown is like the single most important piece of clothing you'll ever buy! You should've called me up ages ago! Gah!"

"Well, we're shopping for it now, right?"

"Hmph."

Yui sighed and dug around in her purse. A moment later, she emerged holding a box of Pocky^.

"Ne, Miaka. This should make you feel better."

"Ah! Arigatou!" Miaka squealed and ripped open the box. "Itadakimasu..." she whispered softly.

Then Yui spotted it. It was hanging in the window of the bridal shop across the street. From here, she could see the small jewels twinkle on the light blue confection. She poked Miaka.

"You see it?"

"Ahhh!" Miaka cried out, causing some fellow pedestrians to stare at her oddly. "It's so gorgeous! Let's go!" She grabbed Yui's arm and started running. Yui laughed and tried to keep up with her.

"Miaka, wait, we can't cross yet," she said as they stopped at the sidewalk. Miaka looked around and rolled her eyes.

"Look, there aren't any cars coming. Let's make a break for it!" she grabbed Yui's hand again and dragged her onto the street.

"Miaka! Miaka, WAIT!" Yui called out as her friend made her way across the intersection. She nervously looked up and down the street and gasped as she saw a motorcycle careening towards them like a red bullet. Yui tried to pull Miaka back and she let go of Yui's hand in surprise. Miaka fell onto the pavement and groaned as she rubbed her nose.

"Miaka! MIAKA!" Yui shrieked as the motorcycle raced towards her. Miaka looked up and gasped.

With as much force she could muster, Yui hurled herself at Miaka, knocking her 6 feet across the street, and landed face first onto the ground. The screeching of rubber on pavement filled the air and Yui looked up to see the rider's horrified face before the pain smacked into her like a lighting bolt. She drifted off into a world of black.

*********

"....... Ugh," Miaka groaned as she flickered her eyes open. "Where am I?"

Taka rushed to her side. "Miaka? Are you all right?"

"My head is killing me... what the...?" she reached up and felt the swath of bandages that were encircled tightly around her head.

Taka moved her hand away. "You hit your head hard on the pavement after Yui pushed you out of the way. Then you passed out," he said softly.

Miaka gasped. "Yui!" She tried to sit upright, but her face twisted in pain and she leaned back down.

Taka tucked her back into bed. "Don't move, you need to rest..."

"Where's Yui?! I need to see her!" Miaka yelled and angrily pushed Taka's hands away.

The doors opened just then and masked doctors wheeled a cart into the room. Miaka tried in vain to see who it was under all the tubes and machinery and gasped when she saw a flash of blond hair.

"Yui, no..." Miaka whispered and watched as they moved her best friend to the space beside her. Noku trailed behind with a tense, panicked look on his normally cheerful face.

"She'll be okay, right?" he asked anxiously and took a seat beside her.

One of the doctors peeled off his mask and sighed. "To be totally honest, we're not sure. She's gone through one hell of an ordeal and we're lucky she's still alive. She's in stable condition right now, but she's sunk into a deep coma. There's really no way of telling when she'll wake up..."

Noku buried his face in his arms. "Not years... she can't be asleep for years..."

The doctor hesitated. "It's... possible. But she seems to be quite strong, so it's very likely that she could wake up well before that. In the meanwhile, you all could try talking to her. I can't guarantee that she'll hear you, but there's a chance she might."

"Thanks..." Noku whispered faintly and stared intently at Yui.

Miaka moaned and painfully pushed herself up to get a closer look. Yui's face was an frightening bluish white and crisscrossed with numerous scars. Her thin hair clung tightly to her scalp and one of her hands was shaking. Miaka reached over and grabbed it.

"Yui-chan..." she whispered. "I'm so sorry... please wake up... please... Yui!" She cried out and pressed her friend's limp hand to her cheek. It was as cold as ice.

Noku put his head on Yui's shoulder. There was complete silence except for Miaka's quiet sobs. Taka looked down at the small frail girl lying peacefully on the bed.

_Yui..._

**To Be Continued (?)**

********

So, how was it? Not too horrible, I hope? I'll gladly continue it if I get enough postive feedback, so if you liked it, "be a responsible reader and write a review." ^_~ Or you could feel free to email me at [juri@wish-cafe.net][1], if you'd like. Thanks for reading.

********

Japanese Terms Index

Arigatou - Thank you.   
Ai shiteru - I love you (deeply).   
Itadakimasu - Let's eat! -- Miaka's favorite phrase, other than screaming "Tamahome!!"   
Ne - Sorta like the Canadian "eh."   
Pocky - A quite yummy Japanese snack. They're thin breadsticks dipped in flavored coating. Mmm.

-chan : Name ending for close friends, younger siblings or children.   
-san : Polite name ending for everyone else.   
-sama : Very respectful name ending. 

   [1]: mailto:juri@wish-cafe.net



	2. The Dream

yuific chap 2 Well, I've been sufficiently bribed with reviews to continue on with this story. ;) You won't be disappointed people; I've got a juicy plot stewing in my brain. ^^ I don't think it's going to take more than 3 or 4 chapters, but there's high chance it could be more. *shrugs* Anyways, I'm glad I got the second chapter up so soon! I can't stand it when people leave me hanging at cliffhangers, then take ages to write up the next chapter. > And I couldn't do that to my faithful readers, now could I? XD Alright then, standard disclaimers apply: I don't own Fushigi Yuugi, I'm just a fan who happens to write fanfics about it. =P Still rated PG-13 for slightly adult situations and mild language. I've decided to keep any Japanese lingo out of the fic for the sake of simplicity. No spoilers in this chapter neither, although I'm thinking the next one is going to be loaded with them. =P Please read and review! It makes my day! Really! ^_^ 

_Thoughts are in italics._   
****Astericks indicate scene change****   
**_Voice from the outside world_** -- This'll make sense later. ^^ 

- Ryouko 

Till Life Do We Part

-Part 2- 

Yui rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air smelled strange, like water and smoke. She opened her eyes and took a few moments to wonder what the hell was going on. 

She was lying on top of a smooth hard surface and all around her was a strange gray fog. Yui stood up and instantly became dizzy when she realized the ground was some sort of mirror that reflected the thick tumultuous mist that swirled around her. 

"Oh... shit," she whispered and sat back down. Waves of nausea swum over her and mixed with the increasing sensation of panic. 

** _Yui!_**__

Yui looked up. That voice sounded so familiar... 

"Miaka?! Miaka, where are you?!" she yelled out. Was she stuck in here too? Yui tried making her way through the fog, but it was impossible to see anything past the thick mist. She also couldn't tell which way she was going. For all she knew, she was upside down or running in circles. 

"Miaka!" Yui called out again. An intense feeling of helplessness took over her. She sat back down. 

_Maybe the best thing to do right now is to wait here... If Miaka's here, she find me eventually...___

The cold wet mist swirled around her and Yui shivered. She felt like a little kid who just got lost in a huge mall. 

_Please hurry, Miaka...___

******** 

"Miaka, the doctor just told me it's okay for you to come home with me," Taka said gently. She shook her head. 

"No, I'm staying here with Yui." 

Taka took a seat by the window. Miaka was lying on her side and faithfully watching over her friend. Her face was withdrawn and her eyes had begun to show dark bags beneath them. Taka watched as she struggled to stifle a yawn. 

"Listen Miaka... I know how you feel about Yui, but wearing yourself out like this isn't going to help either of you," Taka said. "Come on, let's go home. We can come back and see her tomorrow..." 

Miaka frowned. "No, but--" 

"Don't worry, Noku's going to be here with her..." Taka glanced at the tall man who was fitfully sleeping in the chair by Yui. He seemed to mutter something and gripped the chair arms tightly before resting back in his seat again. 

She sighed. "Ok then... but we're coming back here first thing tomorrow morning!" 

Taka nodded. "Okay." He watched Miaka whisper something to Yui and kiss her on the forehead. 

_Yui... I wonder what's going on in your head right now...___

********* 

Yui felt her patience wear thin. She must've been sitting here for hours already. 

"God, Miaka, don't tell me you stopped for a snack," she muttered. 

**_Yu..._****__**

"... Hello?!" Yui's voice was raspy from hours of calling out to Miaka. She tried harder to listen. "Is anyone there?" 

**_... coming... tomorrow morning... hope you wake up by then..._****__**

****It was definately Miaka's voice. So she was coming tomorrow to get her! Yui grinned with relief. She didn't think she could stand being in this strange place any longer. 

But what did she mean by waking up? She wasn't sleeping right now... Yui frowned. Truth be told, she wasn't feeling the least bit tired. 

Well, she'll just ask her tomorrow. How far away was morning anyway? 

Yui checked her watch. It read 5:16pm. So she had quite a bit of time ahead of her... Now what? 

She sighed and started walking. Might as well see if there was anything here besides this stupid mist. 

******** 

He was standing in a forest. Noku walked around for a bit and recognized it as the place where he first met Yui. 

Somewhere in the distance, he heard soft sobs. They got closer and closer until it suddenly slammed into him. He fell hard onto his back and realized he had an armful of Yui. 

"Yui?" he asked surprised. She stopped crying for a moment. 

"Noku," she said. And disappeared. 

He found himself standing at a lakeside. A lone sailboat was drifting across the water. Across the lake, he saw Yui sitting with her back to him. 

"Yui!" he called out. She didn't turn around. 

Driven by a sudden urge to get to her, he dove into the water and began swimming. The sailboat continued to idley drift across the lake. 

Suddenly, Noku felt a pair of strong arms grab him and throw him across the side of the boat. 

"Hey!" he shouted and tried to get off, but he was held down. 

The boat sailed back to the lakeside. He was dropped off and sat there, dazed. 

"Why did you do that?! Who are you?!" he yelled. Try as he might, he couldn't see the face of this mysterious sailor. 

"Stay away from her. She belongs to me," a voice snarled. Noku saw a pair of deadly orbs appear seconds before they shot through his chest. 

Noku laid there gasping and shuddering with pain. He looked up to see a boy glare at him with crazed green eyes and watched helplessly as the boy sailed back across the lake and put his arms around Yui. 

"Yui..." Noku said weakly. Yui sat there frozen as the boy began kissing her neck. He closed his eyes. 

Then he snapped them back open. The early morning light was filtered through the window shades and a few birds were chirping outside. 

Noku struggled to catch his breath. A layer of cold sweat covered his skin. He quickly looked around and saw Yui lying still on the hospital bed. 

"What the hell was that...?" he whispered and shook his head. His chest was strangely throbbing with a dull pain and he leaned back in his chair. That was one heck of a dream... Who was that strange boy though? He looked at him with such hate in his eyes... Noku grimaced at the memory of them. There was something else there too... A sense of longing, perhaps? How strange. 

Noku went over to Yui and gently ran his fingers through her hair. 

"Yui, don't leave me..." he whispered softly. And there was silence. 

**To Be Continued**

******** 

Haha, another cliffhanger! Don't hate me! (=_=) 

I'm pretty pleased with this chapter. It ties together quite nicely with chapter one and makes the perfect foundation for my next ridiculously anticlimatic chapter. ^_~ Sorry if these chapters seem pretty short, by the way. I hand-write them first, so when I type them out, the pages shrink drastically. In total, these chapters took 14 pages on normal notebook paper, but probably only 4 when typed. > It's disheartening, really... 

Anyhoo, I'll end off my rambling with another shameless plea for reviews. You there, REVIEW! Yes, I can see you sitting there with your mouse poised over the "back" button. =P I make it a point to review every story I read, ever since I realized how much they mean to people. I encourage to you all to do the same... Thanks in advance! Feel free to [email][1] me instead if you prefer. 

- Ryouko 

   [1]: mailto:juri@wish-cafe.net



	3. A Purpose

Ok. I'm the biggest hypocrite in the world. -_- Even though it took a good 7 months, chapter 3 is finally up! I had more than enough time to think about how I really want this story to go and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how things turn out. Again, I'm sorry if it seems short. Like I said, I write it out in my notebook first, then type it up, so it changes drastically in length... But, bah, enough of my rambling. On with the story!  
  
*ahem* Oh yea, standard disclaimers apply. Everything, save this fanfic idea and Noku-san, belong to Watase Yuu. ^^  
  
P.S. "Never Get Away" from the FY soundtrack is an absolute kickarse song to listen to while fanficking. :) I think I have the whole thing memorized by now...  
  
------  
  


Till Life Do We Part  
  
By Lady Ryouko  


  
"Noku-san, you really should get some sleep!" Miaka said worriedly.  
  
It had been one hell of night for him. He was exhausted from the effort he put into trying _not_ to be exhausted. Hours of coffee made his hands shake almost violently and he had the pale, lined, and withdrawn face of an old man.  
  
"Noku?" Miaka tapped his shoulder. She stared at him and wondered how he could've seemed to age so much overnight.  
  
He blinked and mumbled apologetically. "Miaka? I'm sorry, I'm just a bit... out of it lately," he yawned. "Where's Taka?"  
  
"Oh, he had to go to work. I came by myself..." Miaka walked over to the bed where Yui was lying in and peered over. "How's she doing?" she asked softly.  
  
"No change..."  
  
No change at all. Miaka took out a hair comb and started to brush Yui's matted hair. Noku sighed softly and rested his head on the window. It was quiet except for the humming of machines and the soft strokes of the comb. Miaka hesitantly started to hum a song. A cold vacant feeling was welling up inside of her and it was getting harder for her to ignore it. Harder and faster, she streaked the comb through Yui's hair until she saw her scalp turn a dark red. She stopped.  
  
"You know what? This place needs some flowers," Miaka said shakily. "I'll be right back, okay?"  
  
She turned and walked to the door.  
  
"Noku-san...?"  
  
He was fast asleep.  
  
--------------------------  
  
"Ergh~~"  
  
Sweat ran down his face and his arms quivered as he struggled to lift the massive metal weight one last time.  
  
"Thirty!" Keisuke shouted gleefully. He shoved the bar away and flopped back down on the bench press, breathing heavily. It was a good thing he got this new bench press for his room... he could feel his muscles getting buffer already. He lifted his head slightly to look at his friend typing away on the laptop, seemingly oblivious.  
  
"Yo, Tetsuya! I think my buffness meter just shot up a few notches," Keisuke said, laughing.  
  
"Good, now take a shower..." was the response.  
  
Keisuke sighed and sat up. "Is that all I get?"  
  
A tiny snort was heard. "I don't see why you've turned into a workout maniac lately, Keisuke-kun."  
  
Keisuke laughed sheepishly. "Well, you know what she said... she thinks my skinny arms and legs are cute."  
  
Tetsuya chuckled. "Then what's with the new bench press?"  
  
"Because they are _not_ cute," Keisuke replied indignantly. "Not everyone can be a lady's man like you, Tetsuya."  
  
Tetsuya shook his head and continued typing.  
  
Keisuke shrugged and reached around for his towel. His fingers came across a small book instead and he recognized it as one of those romance novels he used to be addicted to.  
  
"So... didn't you have a date with what's-her-name today?" Keisuke asked.  
  
"Yea, canceled it. I wasn't in the mood for her today," Tetsuya muttered. _My ears will bleed if I hear her call out "Tetsuya-sama!" one more time..._  
  
Keisuke shook his head. "Man, I don't know when you became such a womanizer..."  
  
"Well, love's not like one of your romance novels, Keisuke."  
  
Keisuke frowned and looked at his friend. He no longer sported the cheap black sunglasses he was so fond of, but his eyes revealed things that weren't there before. Keisuke hadn't really noticed it before, but there was a strange sadness and bitterness in Tetsuya now. He tried to pinpoint when this change came over his friend.  
  
"Yea... you and Yui had something like that though," he said quietly, looking down at the book. "What happened anyway?"  
  
Only the sound of typing was heard. Keisuke knew it was a touchy subject with him so he decided to drop it.  
  
"Anyways, I--"  
  
"I guess... I couldn't make her happy anymore." There wasn't any resentment in Tetsuya's voice, only a trace of sadness.  
  
"What do you mean?" Keisuke asked slowly.  
  
"I don't know... I guess I've always known I was second in Yui's heart. She didn't say it, but I knew she didn't love me. I wanted her to be with someone who could make her happy," Tetsuya said quietly.  
  
"I see... that was noble of you, Tetsuya," Keisuke said. _ Guess he isn't a womanizer..._ "You, um, heard what happened?"  
  
A short reply. "Yes."  
  
Keisuke looked at his friend. His body was tensed up and there was an unreadable expression on his face. He was hunched over the computer screen, making it impossible for Keisuke to see.  
  
"Ok... so, um, what are you doing?"  
  
"... Nothing. Go take your shower, man, you reek," Tetsuya replied irritably.  
  
Keisuke laughed and grabbed his towel. "Okay, okay, I'm out of here."  
  
Moments later, the shower could be heard, accompanied by Keisuke's rendition of "Macho Man." Tetsuya cringed slightly and focused once more on the computer screen.  
  


** Professor Saiki Kubooka shares with us some of his speculations about what occurs in the comatose mind   
and offers his somewhat controversial methods of curing them.  
  
"The subconscious is a realm of many levels. Once a person has sunken so deep into their mind that  
they are in a comatose state, there are few measures that can be taken to revive and restore them back  
to reality. There are many who believe that within these levels is the rumored world that exists between  
heaven, earth, and hell, that serves as a bridge to connect them. There are many speculations about this  
world, and some evidence from past comatose patients who claim they have visited this world. However,  
the most probable assumption is that upon staying too long at this world, memory tends to fold unto itself and  
disappear in bits and pieces. This results in various forms of amnesia."  
  
Click here to read more.  
  
**

Click.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Miaka pushed open the door and tried to balance the sheaf of daffodils on her arm. She saw a doctor glancing at the heart rate meter with a surprised look on his face.  
  
"What? What is it?" Miaka said worriedly. "Is something wrong?"  
  
The doctor turned to her. "Oh, are you a friend of hers?"  
  
Miaka nodded.  
  
"Well, no, there isn't anything wrong, I'm just noticing something strange... her heartbeat is strong, but there's seems to be a faster rapid one that's faintly showing up on the scale as well."  
  
"Huh? Another one?"  
  
The doctor nodded. "I have a guess on what that might mean, but I'll run a few tests on it..."  
  
Miaka nodded again and wondered if she wake Noku up to tell him.  
  
The doctor shook his head. "No, it's ok, you should just let him sleep. He looks like he really needs the rest... " He turned and left the room.  
  
Miaka put the flowers in a cup of water and placed it by the window. "There, this room looks better already," she smiled.  
  
A loud snore was heard. Miaka looked at Noku, who was fitfully writhing in his chair.  
  
_I wonder if I should wake him up..._  
  
Miaka shook her head and took out the book she brought. _ The doctor's right, he does need his rest._   
  
-----------------------------  
  
"Please... just leave me alone."  
  
Noku watched as another shimmering green orb flew out from the darkness and sliced into his arm.  
  
"Why are you doing this?!"  
  
Another. And another. Noku shuddered as new levels of pain were reached every time another orb shot through his body.  
  
"Who... who are you?!"  
  
They stopped. Noku was blind in the heavy darkness, but he felt his own blood spread in a pool around him.  
  
_So... so cold in here._ Noku's labored breaths escaped his lips in the form of small clouds. The coldness was overwhelming, almost enough to numb the pain, but not quite. A different blackness was readily descending upon him and Noku was just as ready to embrace it with open arms.  
  
"Noku... Noku...?" Her voice. Noku was glad that her voice would be the last thing he would hear. He closed his eyes. And screamed.  
  
Images flashed before him and he began to shudder uncontrollably. He wondered if the old adage about his life flashing before his eyes before death was true, but realized these images had nothing to do with his life... they were from his nightmares. He clutched his head and kept his eyes tightly shut, but it was as if a cinema played behind his eyelids, Yui and the boy kissing over and over... and over. He couldn't escape it.  
  
"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Noku screamed. His voice echoed loudly around him... and he realized it wasn't his voice.  
  
The visions swirled around him and faded into the darkness. Noku was thankful for this one reprieve, although it was starting to seem to him that death would be the greatest relief from this all. The silence around him was unsettling. Noku looked feverishly around him like a wary prey, aware of the danger around him, but he couldn't see it.  
  
The sounds of footsteps echoed softly around Noku. He snapped his head his head to the right and saw a figure walking towards him.  
  
"Oh hell... " he whispered. He closed his eyes and the footsteps came closer and closer until they stopped right in front of him.  
  
"You're right... it's not fair," a soft voice said. Noku looked up and saw Yui towering over him. Her face was turned away from him.  
  
Noku reached out for her, but his fingers touched air. "Yui, wait, tell me what's going on! Yui!"  
  
She held her hand out. Noku managed a grin and tried to hold her hand. "I can't touch you for some reason... but that's ok, let's just get out of here first..." He painfully tried to get up.  
  
Yui lashed out and knocked him forcefully to the ground. Noku gasped.  
  
"I'm sorry, Noku," her hand began to glow, and in her palm, Noku saw an all too familiar orb spinning wildly.  
  
"No... no, Yui, please..." he whispered. "I don't understand..."  
  
Yui whipped around and Noku paled as he saw her eyes crackle with a sinister green light. "You never did understand her, did you? That quiet look in her eye, the hesitant explanations... it hurt you to think that she was hiding something from you. A part of her heart was made secret from you, a part that you would never be able to possess and would wonder who _did_ have that claim on that part of her. You love her so much... yet you can't deny to yourself the twinging doubts. Love, yet doubt? Such little faith... I can't stand it."  
  
She knelt and thrust his face toward hers. "Who am I, Noku? Tell me, what is this green that burns in my eyes? The passion of a second lover... or the crippling jealousy of a faithless husband?"  
  
"Noku..." she whispered in his voice as she sank her nails into his arm. "Do you enjoy hurting yourself like this? How can you expect her to stay with you if you can't even keep yourself strong for her?"  
  
He was a mess of tears. "I'm so sorry, Yui... so sorry..." he sobbed and curled on the floor.  
  
"You're worthless."  
  
----------------------------  
  
"Noku-san? Noku-san?" Miaka gently shook his shoulder. He moaned in his sleep and shivered. "What a horrible dream he must be having..." Miaka mused. She knelt to shake him again, but he woke up with a jerk and she backed away, startled.  
  
"Noku, are you okay?" Miaka asked worriedly. "You looked like you were having a very fitful... what's wrong?"  
  
His face was ghastly white and his eyes had a wild crazed look to them. He looked around disorientedly and grabbed his jacket. "I have to get out of here," he muttered and staggered over to the door.  
  
"Noku!" Miaka called after him anxiously. What the hell happened? She shivered a bit as she closed the door.  
  
----------------------------  
  
_You're worthless._  
  
"What can I do? Please... I don't know what to do."  
  
_Do you enjoy hurting yourself like this?_  
  
"God, I hate myself so much. I don't know. Yui, help me..."  
  
_Such little faith..._  
  
"I can't imagine someone like you being content with someone like me... I try so hard to be perfect for you... "  
  
Noku let his head hang limply over the sink. With one hand he clutched the sink as if for dear life. In the other, he clenched a bottle of pills.  
  
"I'm worthless... I can't do anything to help her... I can't even believe in her..." he sputtered out. "There's no point... there's no fucking point."  
  
He carefully shook out 2 soft blue tablets. Closed his eyes, tipped his head back and swallowed them one by one.  
  
And waited. "It's not working," he whispered. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the bottle.  
  
"Jesus CHRIST!" he screamed and flung the bottle across the room. He had snatched the first bottle he saw, thinking fate would choose the right one for him. "I just tried to kill myself with vitamins," he said with a harsh laugh. "I can't even KILL myself right!!"  
  
"What now?" he thought tiredly. Maybe his body would just shut down soon from lack of sleep. What a relief. He decided it was hell going crazy with the knowledge that he's going crazy.  
  
"Yui, I wish there was something I could do for you... " he murmured.  
  
_...keep yourself strong for her_.  
  
His eyes drifted shut."Strong... strong..."  
  
-----------------------------  
  
The wind rushed and swirled around her as she laughed and ran faster. Yui had found out possibly the only perk about being in this place... it's easy to get tired if you stay still, but once you start moving around, it's impossible to get tired. It was an amazing feeling to run as hard and as much as she wanted without ever getting out of breath.  
  
"Where the hell am I going though?" she said and stopped for a moment. The scenery hadn't changed a bit; it was still the same old smoke and mirrors. She stretched a bit and grinned. At least she'll be a bit more fit after all this.  
  
"Argh," Yui stifled a yawn. Sleep felt like a good idea, but she wanted to make sure Miaka would find her once she comes.  
  
"Mi... aka..." Yui yawned. Strange, she couldn't seem to remember much about her, save for something about cake and hair buns. The more she tried, the sleepier she got.  
  
"Ok, time to get moving," Yui said groggily. She glanced at her watch.  
  
"It... it's still the same!" Yui shrieked. 5:16. 5:16. The second hand continued its lazy trip around the clock, but it was clear the time wasn't moving. She crumpled to the ground. It didn't make sense.  
  
"I don't understand..." she whispered. Her panic softly gave way to a yawn and Yui slid onto the ground. The slick metallic floor suddenly seemed very soft and comforting and Yui yielded to it.  
  
"I'm just... so tired," Yui murmured and closed her eyes.  
  
------------------------------  
  
It was hard to breathe. Tetsuya slid down against the wall and put on his shades. He wasn't prepared to see her. He didn't realize what feelings would stir and hit him with full force once he saw her again.   
  
It was no use denying it to himself anymore. God, he still loved her. It wouldn't hurt so much if he didn't love her. He nodded to himself grimly and got up to go home. He knew exactly what he needed to do.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
He was in darkness again but this time, he met it with a grim smile. An orb whizzed towards him and he hit it to the side with a yell, ignoring the blood on his hands. He knew what he had to do this time. In the distance, he saw small trickles of silver smoke spewing from what looked like a doorway. He began to run. _Yui, I'm coming._  
  
-------------------------------  
  
He took off his sunglasses, laid on his bed and waited for the pills to take effect. This was his last resort, and he went over a mental checklist as his vision grew blurred.  
  
** - Hold onto at least one memory of life, may it be a person or place and try to remember as many details about this thing as possible. Smell, taste, and feel it. This will be your safety line when you need to come back.  
- Don't stop moving. If you allow yourself to sleep once you get there, the results can be disastrous.  
- Feel, rather than see where you're going. Follow your instincts, but don't let yourself be led astray.  
- Remember, a journey to the netherworld is incredibly dangerous and not advisable. The most important thing to remember... member... ember...**_ Yui..._  
  
-----------------------------  
  
Yui smiled as she snuggled closer to the warmth. It felt wonderful to have such a nice sleep. She faintly felt a hand run through her hair and a soft breath on her ear.  
  
"Yui-sama..."  
  
-----------------------------  
  


**End of Chapter 3  
**

**  
** Whew, finished. I hope you all weren't disappointed with this latest installment. Took me long enough to get it up (sorry again). So how did you like it? Much angsting abound. I've been reading too many Gundam 1x2 fics. =P Since it's winter break at long last, I'll try to get the fourth chapter up faster. Comments would certainly help to spur me along though. *cough* As hinted, next chapter, we'll finally get to see Su-chan and some possibly lemony goodness if I'm in the mood. Till then!  
  
- Ryouko  
  
**Omake! :)**  
  
Here's a picture of Yui that I drew, as a 20 year old. Sorry for the poor scanning job. http://juri.wish-cafe.net/yui.jpg  
  
  



	4. Doubts

As of tomorrow, it will be exactly one year since I've last updated this fic. I'm going to try to finish this thing once and for all, to give myself and disappointed readers peace of mind and to shake off this writer's block from another project of mine. For anyone who was actually waiting for this (I doubt it though), I thank you. Hope you enjoy the latest installment. =) It's still going to be dark for a good while with plenty of angst, just to warn you. If anything, my writing skills hopefully improved after all this time...

  


So without further ado,

  


Till Life Do We Part

Chapter Four

  


By Juri aka "Lady Ryouko"

  


Taka was used to feeling helpless. He certainly didn't like it, but this sense of restless, restrained fury and grief was nothing new. As he sat in a train heading for Tokyo Hospital, he mused how strange that the course of life can change in a matter of minutes. Happiness is often fleeting, but it's worth striving for and protecting.

  


After all, he and Miaka finally managed to be settle down and be together despite all the trials they faced. They were living a quiet, pleasant life for once, and Taka finally felt like he had things under control.

  


Yui's accident had thrown everything into turmoil. He couldn't help but be somewhat angry at the careless motorist for messing up everyone's lives. It killed Taka how he could nothing but pray for her and be there for Miaka and Noku. They've all gone through so much together already though; they could make it through this one too. Taka sighed. They were all in for a long ride.

  


**

  


It was too quiet in that little room. Miaka glanced over at her purse where her portable radio was, but decided against getting it. Any other noise except for the soft whirs and clicks of the machines would've been crass, and false cheer. The silence made her painfully aware of the surreal reality of the situation. Yui, her Yui-chan, was lying on that bed unconscious.

  


And it was her fault.

  


Miaka stirred in her seat, her body creaking internally after being immobile for so long. Her face threatened to crumple again, and she let it. Why not? Why should she resist being in pain? It was no worse than what she did to Yui.

  


She hid her face in her hands. What kind of friend was she? She didn't mean to keep hurting Yui, but somehow, she kept getting hurt because of Miaka. If she hadn't been such an idiot and ran out into the street like that...

  


Miaka looked up at the little bed where her friend laid. The doctor had told her that speaking to Yui would be helpful, but it's been harder for her to do without completely breaking down. Still, it was the least she could do. The only thing she could do. She stood up and resolutely walked over to the bed.

  


"Hey Yui, it's me again..."

  


**

  


It didn't take Noku long to realize he was utterly lost. Getting through the doorway had been easy enough, but this daunting expanse of gray mist left him feeling a bit discouraged. He had no clue where to begin. Even worse, the longer he stood there looking around bewildered, the more his initial adrenaline rush was replaced with a vague need for sleep. Noku shook his head.

  


"I don't have time for this!" he growled. "I need to get my fiancee back from that green-eyed psycho." With that, he plunged into the mist.

  


For hours he plowed steadily through the mist, letting his feet guide him. At first, his mind was busily occupied with thoughts of revenge and how happy he and Yui would be after this mess was over with, but as time passed, his feet pounded less vigorously and he was aware of the silent, slippery worries making their way through his otherwise black and white mind.

  


"What if... what if she doesn't want to see me?" Noku frowned. Why wouldn't she want to see him? He realized he was scared of thinking of an answer. Noku clenched his fist. It's not as if he didn't try hard enough for her. He swore he would protect her and take care of her, no matter what. His devotion to her was unshakable and he strived to make himself worthy of her by becoming as perfect as possible.

  


When he was promoted to co-chairman of his company, he invited Yui out to dinner to celebrate. That night, he proposed to her. He was absolutely certain of her answer, but still took pains to pick out a nice restaurant and ring.

  


And she had refused.

  


Eventually she changed her mind, but Noku was baffled by her initial reluctance. As far as he knew, there was nothing he did wrong. He had tons of friends, wealth, power, and good looks. Any girl would love to be with him, but he only had eyes for Yui. There was something about her, a fierce and fragile beauty that seemed untouchable. Although her hair was cut short and loose like a boy's, she was incredibly feminine, from her mischievous eyes to her knowing half smiles. She moved with the natural grace and confidence that was completely Yui. Intensely stubborn, yet incredibly impressionable. She was a treasure box of paradoxes, all of them locked away beneath a cool, confident exterior. No girl could match her intelligence, dry wit, generous smiles and alluring grace. He was hopelessly devoted to her and strived to be everything that she could possibly want, but still, there were times when he suspected she wasn't quite as amorated with him. She closed herself off from him, despite her many reassurances that yes, she loved him.

  


"What does she want from me? What am I doing wrong?" he whispered to the soft, swirling mist. To his surprise, it seemed to have lightened a bit, enough for him to see a green grove in the distance. With a grin, he raced toward it.

  


**

  


The moment Tetsuya reached this strange misty world, he didn't stop moving his feet. The last thing he wanted was to konk out even before his search had begun. That wouldn't do anyone any good, least of all Yui.

  


As he ran, he stared around him in awe. The description the website had didn't do this place justice at all. All around him was a thick gray fog that slid through his fingers like liquid wool. When he looked down, his legs turned to jelly and a wave of nausea threatened to collapse him.

  


"Ok, not going to do that again," he muttered to himself and resolutely looked ahead.

  


Hours ticked by like seconds. Tetsuya had read about how quickly time seems to pass in this place, but it still felt unsettling. He chose to spend his time wisely by focusing on his one memory, his "safety line."

  


Who else did he know by heart? Thinking about her would be the easiest thing he'd have to do.

  


After the whole fiasco with the book, Tetsuya eased himself into her life as if he'd always been there. Before then, she was always just his friend's sister's friend, of no concern to him. Admittedly, she was a beauty, but she seemed so different from the girls he usually dated. Perhaps that was what eventually attracted him to her.

  


It didn't take her long to trust him. He was there for her when she was at her most vulnerable and she appreciated that. Still, she seemed embarrassed that he knew so much about her without her permission, so it took her awhile to warm up to him. Tetsuya admired how she wasn't as indecisive as most girls, but that usually meant she tended to make judgments too quickly and was stubborn to change her mind. She liked him as long as he didn't hurt her, accidentally or otherwise.

  


The fog was dissipating, but Tetsuya took no notice of it. He realized that had he been interested in her right from the start, she probably would've rejected him. She had told him that what attracted her to him was his kind heart and bumbling charm, but Tetsuya was starting to think it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. Still, that didn't really matter. He and Yui ended up together. The more he found out about her, the harder she was to define. Yui was just... Yui. She certainly wasn't completely perfect, but perfect in all the ways that mattered. Tetsuya loved her all the more for her little quicks, even that short temper she kept under wraps. They were a happily imperfect couple. Or so he thought.

  


Her sense of loyalty was shaky. She valued it highly in others, but had trouble with believing she was capable of it. She certainly didn't allow herself to be blindly loyal to anyone though. Her trust was easy to obtain, but hard to secure. Tetsuya knew that well, because he had tested that loyalty more than once. They had their share of arguments, which usually ended up with Yui running away and screaming that he didn't love her at all in the first place. Tetsuya would then go after her and, after many reassurances of his love for her, they would make up and last another day.

  


And then the day came when Tetsuya stayed right where he was and watched her go. He was sick and tired of having to profess his love for her over and over and how he was forced to follow her like a puppy dog and beg for her forgiveness. Nobody treated Tetsuya like that. He may have been a playboy, but with Yui, he was serious. And he was sick of how many times he had to say that. So he stayed.

  


Tetsuya cringed as the memory painfully rewound and played itself over and over. There was nothing more he wanted than to do go back in time and run after her. His pride wasn't worth losing her. He would hold her as she cried in his arms, just like all the times before, and tenderly remind her how much he loved her as many times as she needed to hear it. But no, he let her go and she went right into the arms of Noku Honda, quite possibly the most perfect guy in the world.

  


Tetsuya's steps faltered, but he kept on running. He wasn't going to give up on Yui again. It didn't matter who she wanted to be with. Right now, all that mattered was to make sure she'll be alive.

  


In the distance, he saw a dense cluster of trees. As he came closer to it, he was shocked to find out it was exactly like the same grove Yui and him had their last argument. He carefully made his way into it.

  


  


**To Be Continued**

  


**

  


There. *cracks fingers * Sorry if all that analysis gave you a headache; I promise more action in the next chapter. It's good to know I'm writing more complete paragraphs now though. Before, I guess I gave the impression of a clear Yui/Suboshi ending but now... well, who knows? I love those two together, but even I don't know how this is going to turn out now. Actually, I do have a not-so-vague idea. XD Oh what I am saying? *zips lips *

  


So, next chapter, we'll see Tetsuya and Noku's eventual confrontation and figure out what's the deal with all this mist. A review would be lovely, although I won't nag you for one this time. XD; I'd love to know what pairings you guys are hoping for though, just so I can see what kinds of impressions this chapter left. Much thanks.

  



End file.
